Queenstown Tourist Information and Tourism

(Queenstown, Otago, South Island, New Zealand)

Very much New Zealand's capital for exciting outdoor adventure sports, Queenstown stands on the northerly shore of Lake Wakatipu, in the Southern Lakes District and near to both the Eyre mountains and the Remarkables, where snowcapped peaks provide stunning, much-photographed scenery.

Queenstown serves as the region's budget resort and this very popular town is regularly frequented by large tour groups and backpackers. Skiing near Queenstown is available during the New Zealand winters (June to August), while much of the activity does tend to be based around the lake and neighbouring rivers, where seasonal white-water rafting is often the order of the day, along with jet boating.

The cafes and restaurants of Queenstown add a certain sophistication to the town and take full advantage of the mountainous backdrop. Camp Street, the Mall, Stanley Street and Shotover Street and the town's main roads, with the latter being home to the official Queenstown tourist information centre (at the Clocktower Centre), along with further tourism bureaus, such as Department of Conservation (DOC) Visitors Centre.

Queenstown Tourist Information and Tourism: Top Sights

Regarded by many as the 'Adventure Capital of the World', Queenstown has much to offer lovers of the great outdoors, with summer hiking, bush walks, bungee jumping, rock climbing, mountain biking, canyoning and more. Summer tourists may also like to enjoy coach tours of the numerous surrounding wineries, trips on the Queenstown Skyline Gondola and a visit to the Kiwi and Birdlife Park, where a variety of native New Zealand birds await. Another notable attraction is the town's Underwater World, where a submerged viewing gallery offers the chance to experience some underwater lake scenery. More information about Queenstown Tourist Attractions.

Those who come to Queenstown for its world-class skiing will find that the main resorts include both the Cardrona Alpine Resort and the Coronet Peak, with winter snowfalls within the Otago area of New Zealand being quite reliable.

There are also further ski resorts to be found around the Treble Cone and the Remarkables mountains, where the Alpine scenery is nothing short of spectacular, with tantalising views of Mount Aspiring and Lake Wanaka. More information about Queenstown Skiing.

The museum scene in Queenstown has little to offer tourists holidaying here, with the best selection of museums being located in nearby Arrowtown, just a 20-minute drive away. Queenstown certainly does better when it comes to art galleries, with top choices including the Kapa Design Gallery and Toi O Tahuna. However, without question the cultural highlight of this resort town is the Central Art Gallery on Beach Street, which comes highly recommended and is regarded to be amongst New Zealand's very best, containing paintings, sculptures and profile information about local artists, and even featuring international delivery. More information about Queenstown Museums.

Otago is brimming with attractions and vineyards, and tourists won't have far to travel to reach many of these places of interest. Close to Queenstown, Wanaka serves as one of the most popular day trips and is nothing short of a leading year-round resort. Wanaka's proximity to the Mount Inspiring National Park and its countless 'tramping' trails is another major draw card. Day trippers looking for an easy excursion may also like to consider the town of Cromwell, the tiny hamlet of Glenorchy, and the scenic Kawarau Gorge. Kingstown is another nearby attraction and most tourists head here for a ride on its 'Kingston Flyer' steam train. Further afield, it is even possible to drive to Christchurch and Dunedin, while daily flights link both Auckland and Wellington, on the North Island. More information about Queenstown Attractions Nearby.